While it seems the entire sporting universe has focused on the two interceptions quarterback Kyler Murray had in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, there are surely many reasons the game didn’t go the way the Arizona Cardinals wanted it to, despite Murray putting the onus on himself after the game.
The defense is one place to start considering the last three games have seen a long list of explosive plays while takeaways have been few and far between.
When defensive coordinator Nick Rallis had his weekly media session Tuesday, the first question was what he saw on tape that he feels should be a point of emphasis.
He quickly answered, “The first thing we always look at is the mode of play. And I think we’ve had better games with our mode of play. You know the motor needs to pick up at times. I’ve seen us put better mode of play on tape than last week.”
The follow-up question addressed what was lacking and why.
“I know what we can do is control when we have opportunities to practice that because it’s an acquired skill. We need to do that throughout the week and then it’s got to show up on Sunday.”
Does that have an impact on takeaways (or lack thereof) and explosives?
“Absolutely,” he said. “When we first talked about that stuff on Day 1 and in the spring, it’s not, ‘Hey, guys, I don’t want you running to the ball so you get tired.’ It’s because, ‘Hey this is what contributes to winning and essentially playing with high motor and high violence leads to takeaways and it limits explosive plays because you got people flying to the ball.’
“Eliminate the hidden yardage. A guy misses his play, another guy makes up for it by playing with tremendous motor and violence. It all correlates to winning. So limiting explosives and (getting) takeaways, those are winning statistics that we talk about a lot because it helps us and it’s all about winning.”
Rallis made sure to emphasize that’s not as if the expected mode of play isn’t there at all. After all, one coaching mantra is that games usually turn on four or five plays in a game, and the team that makes them is the one that wins, especially in close games.
He said, “It’s not an all or nothing (thing). There have been games where I’ve got on them about how this needs to pick up. Whether it was a win or a loss, or it was a unit or certain individuals. Or a couple plays here and there. It’s not like there was a game full of loafs. There are guys out there that are putting a lot on the line. Still, when you look at it collectively, it was below our norms.”
Rallis explained it’s all about “having the instantaneous reaction to chase the ball and putting it in your mind that it’s my tackle and not assuming someone else is going to make that play. You have to train your mind to think that way. And so you have to practice that and so that’s why during practice when we’re going full speed, it’s the requirements of getting to the football. Hit the ball, so when you practice it, it’s ingrained in your mind. When I’m playing football, ball’s out. Ball’s over here. Instantaneous; that’s my football.”
The Cardinals were better in the first game against Seattle two weeks earlier, and Rallis did credit what the Seahawks did Sunday.
“They did some really good stuff,” he said. “I’d give them credit. I thought it was a great plan by them. Both on the normal downs, second down, third down; doing different things in the run game and protections and things of that nature. So they had a pretty good plan.”
However, he said those can be mitigated with better play: “There were too many explosives in the run and pass game. It wasn’t necessarily just pure the motor wasn’t there. On those explosives they had some really good scheme stuff up. But then there are also chances within the downs for people to execute at a little bit of a higher level in terms of technique, tackling, keep a cup on the football. They still would have been decent gains, but they wouldn’t have been the explosives that they were.”
For the game, the Seahawks totaled 356 yards on 63 plays (5.7 average), but there were nine plays of 16 yards or more, four on the ground and five through the air. The nine plays totaled 206 yards, a 22.9 average. Seattle’s other 54 plays totaled 150 yards (2.8 per play).
Running back Zach Charbonnet rushed for 134 yards on 22 carries (6.1 average) and 90 of the yards came on three plays, including a 51-yard touchdown. His other 19 runs produced 44 yards (2.3 average).
Of course, the game turned on Murray’s two interceptions in the first quarter, but the defense wasn’t able to put the brakes on the Seattle offense. One pass play for 19 yards produced the first touchdown and soon after, an interception put the ball at the Arizona 46-yard line and a pass for 19 and run for 22 got the ball quickly to the 5-yard line and another touchdown.
Defensive lineman Roy Lopez was understandably disappointed in the result, but said it’s on the defense to stop the offense when turnovers happens.
“We live for that, man. You live for that,” Lopez said. “As a defense, you’re part of a group that hangs their hat on being dogs and respect. You live for that, man. That’s us as a group; the first seven rush and coverage go together. Them scoring fast, that’s on us. Everybody plays a role in this game. Short field position; if anything it fires you up even more. It’s fun to go out there and be like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ This is what you want.
“Those moments right there are like the moments that I hold dear to my heart as a competitor, as a player. You’re walking out there at the 20-, 30-yard line. You look in Kyzir White’s eyes and he’s like, ‘C’mom. C’mon.’ You hear Budda (Baker) behind you, like ‘C’mon.’ As a competitor, man, it gives you chills and I just lived it yesterday. There’s nothing like it.”
Even though the outcome was disappointing.
Speaking of Baker, while many reacted with shock that he had 18 tackles (eight solo) in the game, Rallis noted that sometimes that might not be a good thing.
While acknowledging that when someone “has 18 tackles, they probably had a good day in terms of their motor and getting to the football,” he also said, “If the 18 tackles were because the balls were ripping through the run game to the second, third level, that’s not a good thing. If it’s because he’s constantly around the ball at the line of scrimmage or tackling for a minimal gain, that is a good thing.
“So I think it’s a little bit of a tale of the tape. But if it’s because the ball’s leaking through and he’s a third-level player, that’s when you don’t want 18 tackles there.”
The breakdown from Sunday shows there were numerous times when Baker and others made plays near the line of scrimmage, but there too many at the second or third level, and the explosives happened way too often.
Breaking down explosives and takeaways
Takeaways
The Cardinals had no takeaways Sunday, only one against the Vikings and one in the first Seattle game. They are 1-3 in games this season with a negative turnover ratio, and two of those losses were in the last three weeks. In the first Seahawks game, each team had one turnover.
Notably, the Cardinals are 3-0 when they win the turnover battle (49ers, Chargers, Jets) and 2-4 in even turnover games (Rams, Dolphins win; Bills, Lions, Commanders, Seahawks1 loss). The one victory in a minus-turnover game was against the Bears.
For the season, the Cardinals have only 13 takeaways, tied with two other teams. There are 11 teams with less than 13 and of those teams, only three have winning records (Chiefs, Commanders, Ravens). Their minus-3 ratio is tied for 19th in the NFL. Of the 15 teams plus or even, 12 have winning records.
Explosives breakdown
Seattle Week 14
Total yards: 63-356-5.7 per play. Nine of the plays were 16 yards or more and that was for 206 yards (22.9 average). Remainder of plays: 54-150-2.8.
Rushing: 31-176-5.7 per play with explosives 4-106-26.5 per play. Remainder of plays: 27-70-2.6.
RB Zach Charbonnet: 22-134-6.1; explosives 3-90-30.0. Remainder of plays: 19-44-2.3.
Charbonnet receiving: 7-59-8.4; explosive 1-20-20.0. Remainder of plays: 6-39-6.5.
RB Kenny McIntosh: 7-38-5.4; explosive 1-16. Remainder of plays: 6-22-3.7.
QB Geno Smith: 24 completions, 233 yards, 9.7 average. Explosives: 5-100-20.0. Remainder of completions: 19-133-7.0.
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 5-82-16.4; explosives 3-62-20.7. Remainder of plays: 2-20-10.0.
WR DK Metcalf: 4-49-12.3; explosive 1-18-18.0. Remainder of plays: 3-31-10.3.
Minnesota Week 13
Total yards: 51-273-5.4. Eight explosive plays of 15 yards or more for 165 yards (20.6). Remainder of plays: 43-108-2.5.
Rushing: 15-68-4.5; explosive Cam Akers 1-18. Remainder of plays: 14-53-3.8.
QB Sam Darnold: 21 completions for 235 yards, 11.2 average; explosives 7-147-21.0. Remainder of completions: 14-88-6.3.
WR Justin Jefferson: 7-99-14.1; explosives 2-53-26.5/3-68-22.7. Remainder of plays: 5-46-9.2/4-31-7.8.
Jordan Addison: 4-54-13.5; explosives 2-43-21.5. Remainder of receptions: 2-11-5.5.
WR Jalen Nailor: 1-18.
Seattle Week 12
Total yards: 61-285-4.7. Six explosives of 17 or more yards for 150 total (25.0). Remainder of plays: 44-135-3.1.
RB Kenneth Walker III: 16-41 rushing; explosive 1-14. Remainder of plays: 15-27-1.8.
Walker receiving: 4-52-13.0; explosives 2-40-20.0. Remainder of plays: 2-12-6.0.
QB Smith: 22 completions, 254 yards, 11.5 average; explosives of 17 yards or more 6-150-25.0. Remainder of completions: 16-104-6.5.
WR Smith-Njigba: 6-77-12.8; explosive 1-46. Remainder of plays: 5-31-6.2.
WR Metcalf: 4-59-14.8; explosives 2-47-23.5. Remainder of plays: 2-12-6.0.
WR Tyler Lockett: 2-20-10.0; explosive 1-17-17.0. Remainder of plays: 1-3-3.0.
Notable
*The three quarterbacks completed 67 passes for 722 yards, an average of 10.8 per completion. The explosives were 18-for-397, an average of 22.1, so 26.9 percent of completions accounted for 55.0 percent of the yards. The remainder of completions were 49-325-6.6.
In Seattle’s two games, Smith completed 46 passes for 487 yards (10.6 average). The explosives were 11-250-22.7. The remainder of completions were 35-237-6.8.
In two games, Smith-Njigba had 11 receptions for 159 yards (14.5 average). His explosives were 3-84 (28.0). The remainder were 8-75-9.4.
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